Technical Help with a 66 Buick

I'll understand if this gets deleted as it's a bit new for the HAMB. I'm looking for a little advice on parts swapping in a 66 Buick Electra. I bought a decent running, driving 66 Electra with a 401 Nailhead. I would like to pull the nailhead and brake drums for my own use, but the car itself is too good to let die. Does anyone know if I can swap a 455 easily into place, and swap the front drums for later steel units? I know some people would be interested to just own an older car and not care whether it still has the factory engine and brakes, and this would be a good candidate for this. Anybody got any advice other than "Leave it as is"

 

you probably will get more response on these www.v8buick.com & www.teambuick.com

good luck

 

The trans in that 66 is nailhead specific bellhousing bolt pattern, and is either a ST400 (super turbine 400, aka the turbo 400) or the SP400 (switch pitch 400). Either way the trans goes with the engine. So if you did swap a 455 you also need a B-O-P pattern trans to go with the new engine.

Not aware of any direct steel replacement drums.

So why not just drive the 66 Buick as a decent old car? Unless you have an immediate need for the car as engine and brakes donor, just drive it around.

 

66 buick is a great cruiser, put anything you want in it, sbc, 455, even a 5.3 truck engine, injection, and overdrive. If you wanna use the 401 for a hot rod, it's your car, do it.
Can't help with the brakes, Hollander exchange manual is your best bet, mine are a couple hours away or I'd check it out for you.

 

I should have been more clear. Yes I would like to pull both the engine and the trans (it is a SP400). And would then swap in a 455 with th400. I would like to use the 401 and trans in a 59 Invicta 2dr hdtp I have. While the 66 Electra is a great car and extremely comfortable, it's just not my thing. I should also add that regarding the drum swap, I'd be open to swapping the hubs and drum****emblies, if that's what needs to be done. It's a 4dr hdtp (not sure what the correct name is for it but it's a fake hdtp - the windows are pillarless, but there is still a b pillar.). I know it'd be a great car for some one - just not for me. Thanks for the replies. I

 

You might do a disc brake swap, I am sure that there is someone that has figured out the rotor and bearings, designed a caliper bracket, and the caliper to use. This would use your stock spindle.

Also, if just making a driver to sell off, the engine swap could be almost anything.

Your 59 Invicta swap candidate is torque tube drive, you will need an open drive center section and some control arm fab work so it can work with the open drive SP400 trans.

 

If you can find them you can use the brakes off of a special they are smaller but they will bolt to your spindles. You will also need the hubs from the baby buick as I recall.

You could also consider selling the buick as a project to someone who likes old buicks, they are collected by some and go high stock, a restorer may really like to have it.

 

I am one of those hoarder guys, so lucky enough to have a 61, and 64 I can rob a diff from.

 

As noted above, I'm one of those hoarder guys, so lucky enough to have a couple 66 Buick specials. Seems like this might just come together for me.

Thanks all for the help so far.